A Single Star and Bloody Knuckles

“A vibrant political history of Texas from the 1870s to the 2020 presidential election. . . . A rollicking . . . richly detailed portrait of the Lone Star state.” —Publishers Weekly
 
For John Nance “Cactus Jack” Garner, there was one simple rule in politics: “You’ve got to bloody your knuckles.” It’s a maxim that applies in so many ways to the state of Texas, where the struggle for power has often unfolded through underhanded politicking, backroom dealings, and, quite literally, bloodshed. The contentious history of Texas politics has been shaped by dangerous and often violent events, and been formed not just in the halls of power but by marginalized voices omitted from the official narratives.

A Single Star and Bloody Knuckles traces the state’s dramatic evolution over the past 150 years through its pivotal political players, including oft-neglected women and people of color. Beginning in 1870 with the birth of Texas’s modern political framework, Bill Minutaglio chronicles Texas political life against the backdrop of industry, the economy, and race relations, recasting the narrative of influential Texans. With verve and candor, Minutaglio delivers a contemporary history of the determined men and women who helped define Texas as a potent force in national affairs.
 
“Smoothly tackling this near-herculean research task, [Minutaglio] . . . writes in prose as cool as a trout stream. —The New York Times
 
“Resurrect[s] not only the marquee names we would expect to find in a history of Texas politics (famous and infamous) but also fascinating names that have faded into the fog of history.” —Houston Chronicle 
 
“A powerful argument for the centrality of race in the past, present, and future of Texas politics.” —Texas Monthly